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Paladin Variant: Warleader

The Marshal is mainly seen as a 1-level dip for Paladin/Diplomancers/whatever, but I really like the aura ability. I think that it would work well as a Paladin ability, and it's pretty simple switch (lose spellcasting, gain aura abilties), but how does the progression of new auras and things like that sound? Too powerful, too much, etc.? Also, the name is sort of lame, but I couldn't think of anything better.
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Paladin Variant: Warleader

The warleader paladin is a natural leader, and by giving up his connection to divine spellcasting he can instead give boosts to himself and his allies. The warleader paladin class features are identical to that of the standard paladin, with the following exceptions.

Spellcasting: A warleader paladin does not gain any spellcasting abilities. He never gains the ability to cast paladin spells, has no paladin spell list, and cannot use spell trigger items (unless he has the spell on another classes spell list).

Auras (Ex): The warleader paladin exerts an effect on allies in his vicinity. He can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. The warleader paladin may project one minor aura (starting at 4th level) and one major aura (starting at 8th level) at a time.
Projecting an aura is a swift action. The aura remains in effect until the warleader paladin uses a free action to dismiss it or activates another aura of the same kind (major or minor). A warleader paladin can have an aura active continually; thus, an aura can be in effect at the start of a combat encounter even before the warleader paladin takes his first turn.

Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A paladin sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best.

Unless otherwise noted, a paladin’s aura affects all allies within 60 feet (including himself) who can hear the paladin. An ally must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher and be able to understand the paladin's language to gain the bonus. A warleader paladin's aura is dismissed if he is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or understood by his allies.

A warleader paladin can use one minor aura of his choice starting at 4th level. As his warleader paladin level increases, he gains access to new auras, as indicated on Table 1.1: Warleader Paladin Auras.

All bonuses granted by a warleader paladin's auras are circumstance bonuses that do not stack with each other.

Minor Aura: A minor aura lets allies add the warleader paladin's Charisma bonus (if any) to certain rolls. The list of auras is identical to that of the Marshal (see the Miniatures Handbook), plus the additional auras listed below.

Major Aura: Beginning at 8th level, a warleader paladin can project a major aura in addition to his minor aura. A major aura lets allies add +1 to certain rolls. This bonus improves by +1 at 12th level, 16th level, and 20th level. This list of auras is identical to that of the Marshal (see the Miniatures Handbook), plus the additional auras listed below.

Re: Paladin Variant: Warleader [PEACH]

Major Aura:
Step Lively: Adds 5 ft/round movement times the paladin's Major Aura increment to all allies within range.
Keep Your Guard Up: a number of attacks of opportunity up to the paladin's Major Aura Increment made against your allies in a round automatically fail. Each ally can avoid attacks of opportunity up to the paladin's Major Aura Increment.

Minor Aura:
From Many, One: Allies within range add your charisma modifier to Aid Another actions.
They're Not That Bad: Allies within range add your charisma modifier to saves versus fear.
Aim For The Joints: Allies within range add your charisma modifier to attack rolls made to confirm critical hits.
Just Hit Them: Allies within range add your charisma modifier to attack rolls made to hit, but not made to confirm criticals. A character may not inflict a critical hit while using the bonus from Just Hit Them.
Use Your Heads: Allies within range add your charisma modifier to all rolls involving special attack actions, including Trip, Overrun, Bull Rush, Disarm, Feint, and Sunder.
Keep At It: Allies within range gain a number of bonus hitpoints equal to your charisma modifier.

The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began,
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can--
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Meeting those who travel on the way,
Where many paths and errands meet,
And whither then, I cannot say.
--J.R.R. Tolkien

Re: Paladin Variant: Warleader [PEACH]

This is one of the best classes EVER.
Seriously.
Maybe the Warlord should get a special paladin Warlord Mount.
A Mount that also can create Minor auras, that effect other mounts in the area, such as:
Hang Together: All allied mounts in the area, paladin and otherwise, add the Warlord's Mount's Charisma bonus to Will saving throws.

Re: Paladin Variant: Warleader [PEACH]

Thanks for the comments/compliments!

As far as a variant special mount for an aura paladin, I guess that could work. I'd probably remove the share spells, command creatures of it's kind, and maybe spell resistance, and then add in a small progression of auras that only affect Animals and Magical Beasts. (And thereby make the Paladin into the Druid's new best friend.)

Figuring out the progression of auras and such would be the hard part, and then just coming up with some good ones for mounts. Also, I think a regular Warhorse has a 6 Charisma, so you'd have to figure out another way to determine the bonuses.

Oh, and by the way, here's the Marshal class and all the relevant auras - I guess I forgot to link that in my original post.

Re: Paladin Variant: Warleader [PEACH]

Use 1/2 the Warleader's Charisma modifier. Or the mount's Strength, or something--lead by example. Or, you could just tie it straight to the major aura progression, and have one of the mount's stats affect the initial bonus and the eventual maximum bonus.

Here's a few mountie auras. Got a theme running--didn't expect one.

Sure Step: Bonus to resist special attack types--specifically trip, bullrush, and overrun. Subtracts 4 from the Ride DC of all Ride checks for creatures affected.

The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began,
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can--
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Meeting those who travel on the way,
Where many paths and errands meet,
And whither then, I cannot say.
--J.R.R. Tolkien

Re: Paladin Variant: Warleader [PEACH]

Alright, here's the Inspiring Mount, the only suitable steed for such an inspiring warrior as the warleader paladin. The number of auras known can be increased, I guess, depending on if any other cool auras get added to the list. Thanks, by the way, Maldraugedhen - I used (or slightly altered) the ones you suggested, and added some more of my own (plus kept the same "step" theme).
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Special Mount (Su): A warleader paladin does not gain access to a special mount (as the standard paladin ability). Instead, he gains an Inspiring Mount.

Inspiring Mount (Sp): Upon reacing 5th level, a warleader paladin gains access to an exceptionally intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve him in his crusade against Evil. The mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin.

Once per day, as a full-round action, a warleader paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s class level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

The paladin’s inspiring mount is superior to a normal mount of its kind and has special powers, as described below. The standard mount for a Medium paladin is a heavy warhorse, and the standard mount for a Small paladin is a warpony. Another kind of mount, such as a riding dog (for a halfling paladin) or a Large shark (for a paladin in an aquatic campaign) may be allowed as well. A paladin’s mount is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal’s HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats).

Auras (Ex): The warleader’s mount serves as an inspiring figure for other friendly creatures on the battlefield. The inspiring mount may have one aura active at a time, and derives its aura bonuses from its bonus HD from paladin levels. An inspiring mount’s auras only affect allied Animals and Magical Beasts (including itself) within 60 feet. A mount knows a number of auras as shown on the table above, selected from the list below, and can switch between these auras as a swift action.

The mount’s aura is dismissed if it is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or seen by his allies. The auras are circumstance bonuses that do not stack with each other.

All other mount abilities are as that of the standard paladin Special Mount.

Mount Auras:

-Sure Step: Bonus to resist bull-rush, overrun, and trip attempts, to Ride checks made to ride the affected creature, and to Balance and Tumble checks made due to unstable flooring.
-Swift Step: Bonus to speed equal to 5 times the mounts aura bonus. For instance, the inspiring mount of a 12th level paladin (and thus having a +3 aura bonus) gives a +15 bonus to all movement types.
-Pounding Step: Bonus to damage from Trample attacks, ride-by attacks, charges, and any other attacks involving movement (such as bull-rush and overrun attempts).
-Bounding Step: Bonus to Jump checks equal to (2 x the aura bonus) and on Ride checks related to difficult terrain for the affected creature’s rider.
-Proud Step: Bonus on saves against fear, Intimidate checks made to demoralize an opponent, and bonus to the DC of fear effects caused by the affect creature.
-Quiet Step: Bonus to Move Silently and Hide checks.
-Resistant Step: Bonus to all saves.
-Spry Step: Bonus to Armor Class.
-Emboldening Step: Creatures summoned by Conjuration (Summoning) spells remain for an extra number of rounds equal to the inspiring mount’s aura bonus.